Wireless power could revolutionize highway transportation

Wireless power could revolutionize highway transportation, Stanford researchers say

Source

A Stanford University research team has designed a high-efficiency charging system that uses magnetic fields to wirelessly transmit large electric currents between metal coils placed several feet apart. The long-term goal of the research is to develop an all-electric highway that wirelessly charges cars and trucks as they cruise down the road. The new technology has the potential to dramatically increase the driving range of electric vehicles and eventually transform highway travel, according to the researchers. Their results are published in the journal Applied Physics Letters (APL). "Our vision is that you'll be able to drive onto any highway and charge your car," said Shanhui Fan, an associate professor of electrical engineering. "Large-scale deployment would involve revamping the entire highway system and could even have applications beyond transportation."

I did a search and haven't seen this posted. This is a great idea which would have countless positive implications on our society. Unfortunately I don't think the billions of dollars it would take to remodel our entire highway system sounds plausible at the moment. Of course you would also have to think, who would lose out on energy such as this? It's sad to say that this will not be something that makes the news, and will just be swept under the rug. The two Australian inventors who created a generator that can supply free energy for years without stopping were fortunate enough to make the Australian news, but you hear nothing of them anymore. Their generator would also be a great alternative to the combustion engine, and a lot more plausible than remodeling the entire highway infrastructure.

Any thoughts from you guys on this? I think this type of energy is far better than the alternative "green" energies.

This will never happen, for the same reason the schematics for the 100 mpg Ford engine were purchased by corporates and then locked away and forgotten.

There is no money to be made from this very expensive venture, and while it may be revolutionary, corporations (and by association, the government) have no interest in something that costs a lot but doesn't make money. It doesn't contribute to the economy.

I support this idea of electric highways, but the corporations won't like it.

reply to post by Starchild23


My thoughts exactly. It's just like all of Tesla's papers that were seized after his death. Cash is king

It's also about control.

I'm sure if they ever built such a type of highway, it would be GPS controlled, and would also have things like crash prevention, auto-pilot and vehicle-immobilizers.

Why give people an electric car that they can stop and start at their own leisure?

Let's give them a fully automated highway that controls the way their vehicles drive. If the cops want to stop you for something, your car would simply shut down.

Then they'll beat the crap out of you because your kid has a state-outlawed school-meal in his bag.

Just saying.

reply to post by Unrealised


I see what you're saying. But this kind of invention is to charge electric cars on the go so they don't run out. The cars would still be able to supply energy themselves for when they aren't around coils.

Originally posted by vanillaMinus
reply to post by Unrealised

 

I see what you're saying. But this kind of invention is to charge electric cars on the go so they don't run out. The cars would still be able to supply energy themselves for when they aren't around coils.

I'm sure a lane-grid specific EMP blast could render an electric car totally useless.

Originally posted by vanillaMinus
two Australian inventors who created a generator that can supply free energy for years without stopping were fortunate enough to make the Australian news, but you hear nothing of them anymore.

And you probably never will either. Not that they're dead or anything, but people like that have a way of disappearing out of the public eye.

I commend their invention, it sounds very useful, but when will people like this learn that if they think of something like this they need to keep it to themselves. No country in the world is going to let this take off because, as another poster pointed out, there won't be any revenue generated from the expense. It's called a negative cash flow. Never mind the fact that it could subtantially decrease the cost of living for the common man, the corporations won't make any money. That's just the way it is.

To all you inventors out there, if you think of something like this that can help other people, draw up the plans, test it thoroughly to make sure it works, then shelve it. Save it for your children or for their children, however long it takes for this world to shape up so your invention can actually be used. Whatever you do, don't let big money get wind of it becasue they'll buy you out, shelve it themselves and it will NEVER see the light of day.

Yeah, this could revolutionize highway transport.
But it won't.

It simply won't happen.

Originally posted by Unrealised

Originally posted by vanillaMinus
reply to post by Unrealised

 

I see what you're saying. But this kind of invention is to charge electric cars on the go so they don't run out. The cars would still be able to supply energy themselves for when they aren't around coils.

I'm sure a lane-grid specific EMP blast could render an electric car totally useless.

I'm sure an EMP would wreak havoc on any car. In modern cars there's easily 60-100 microprocessors that control pretty much every function imaginable in some way. You'd be in luck though if you drove a car made before the mid 70s. But then again, this wouldn't require everyone to have an electric car. Oil won't be obsolete for a very long time. But for the average person who wishes to save ~$2000+ a year on gas, this would be an awesome alternative

From a technical point of view, what would be the safety implications for something like this?

How about shielding from unwanted radiation? What would have to go into cars to protect the electronic control unit, body control module, transmission control unit, etc from induced EMF?
Even if the car itself was shielded, what about all exterior consumer electronics that are part of people's daily lives?

Every manufacturer would have to abide by new safety standards that would do nothing but raise the cost of cars and transportation. What about health risks from excess radiation? Will companies accomodate such cases? or will they maintain a protection against such liability?

And even then, what about power consumption, and load on the grid? In my city - where there is only one electrical utility company, we've had power outages no doubt to accomodate for those who apparently needed it more during high consumption periods.

What about metering? How would they meter it? It would be open to free electricity hacks and cyber attacks.

They would have to change the way they monitored people's speeds on the road as convential radar detectors wouldn't be able to seperate the charging frequency in relation to the frequency of the transmitted signal

It is a concept that is highly reliant on so many factors in this current age.

reply to post by xxdaniel21


I agree that there are a lot of factors that go into making this possible.

I wish I could answer your questions but the only information I can find is in this article. It hasn't been lab tested yet apparently, so hopefully we get some solid figures when they publish their findings.

We cannot even take care of the pot holes in the road.

How are we supposed to maintain a highway smart grid?

It will never happen..........

It takes two to three years just to redo a stretch of interstate......

Not trying to sound cynical or anything but the interstate system is falling apart.

reply to post by vanillaMinus


Yes, BMW now have over 230 computers in them. The modern car has more computer power then the first lunar lander.

Actually, if they could find a way to have cars generate electricity while driving down the highway, the highways themselves could become mass energy production, and power the cars.

reply to post by liejunkie01


Americans need to start adapting to the idea of smaller cars. When the majority of vehicles are smaller and more energy efficient, and lighter, the highways and roadways can become much smaller, requiring less cost in materials and maintenance. With the exception of a lot of highways to handle trucks.

But then if the rail structure was updated, a lot more people can use train for both travel and delivery of goods. Which also means far less gas used, less pollution, less congestion.

I would rather take the money to update the rail system.

reply to post by nixie_nox

Cars do generate electricity. It's called an alternator and it uses gasoline (or diesel).

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by vanillaMinus

 

Yes, BMW now have over 230 computers in them. The modern car has more computer power then the first lunar lander.

That really means absolutely nothing
Going to the moon and giving our highway system an overhaul are 2 different things.
Our construction equipment is better than the Egyptians
Doesn't mean we are going to construct stone pyramids.
Just because we can doesn't mean me will.

And a toaster has more processing power than the lunar lander.

we can't fix the pot holes in the roads

lol

I guess you can dream

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
we can't fix the pot holes in the roads

lol

I guess you can dream

Maybe you missed the part where I said it doesn't sound plausible?

Nothing was ever accomplished without dreaming.